Your Partner Has A Thing For You Ya Know
by L122yTorch
Summary: Liv wrestles with what Babs said to her and it forces things to come to a head between her and Elliot.
1. Chapter 1

What Babs had said to her was clawing at her attention. Olivia Benson sat at her desk with a dead stare into the ether, picturing her partner holding her, kissing her like Babs had kissed him just a week before. "Liv, Liv, anyone home?" a familiar voice and smile said, cracking into Liv's solitary mental world. "No, nothing's wrong," Liv exhaled deeply and turned away from her partner's mockingly disbelieving face to return to her computer screen.

The morning quickly dissolved into evening as the two pecked away at their keyboards. Craigen's door shut behind Elliot, "well I'm off for the night," Craigen said pulling his jacket up around his shoulders. "I know that since Fin and Munch have been on this special assignment that you guys are swamped, and I just want to say that I appreciate all your hard work." "Thanks cap'n," Elliot said, "goodnight." "Goodnight."

Elliot's firm hand reached for the chopsticks in the Chinese takeout carton and brought some cold noodles up to his lips. But he stopped. "Liv, I'm starting to worry about you," he said. "Why?" "Because," he said lowering his voice, "I know it's been a tough week for you. I know that getting medical guardianship of that baby girl nearly killed you. I know that it has been an exceedingly rough week, and every time I go to do anything I see you staring off into space…or at me…" "I'm fine El, really," Liv replied unconvincingly. To cover up for that debauched convincing Liv hung her head and let her silky hair fall in front of her face.

Her heart was beating out of her chest, she was actually worried that in the silence of the empty squad room that he would hear it. Elliot's chair squeaked as he got up and came to sit on the edge of her desk. Liv glanced over at his legs. There was an urge so potent so deep to reach out and touch him, to kiss him to have him. Ever since Babs opened her big mouth Liv lay awake at night going over every scenario with her partner. Soon he was all she thought about.

"It's never going to happen," she had told Babs, but that was only because of Kathy, and Liv had just learned that Kathy and El reached a standstill about a month ago and haven't been around each other since. They were already living like they were divorced. "Liv," El practically shouted through gritted teeth, "talk to me." "I can't El." "Why the hell not? We're partners Liv, we're supposed to be in tune." "I'll see you tomorrow," Liv said quickly getting up and leaving her partner in the shadows behind her.

That night was worse than the rest, to want something you cannot have is agonizing, and soon two a.m. rolled around. Then three, then four and five, and by the time the alarm went off in the morning Olivia Benson was already up and dressed.

Elliot walked into the office and saw his partner with two venti cups of Starbucks in front of her and deep bags under her eyes. "You look like hell Liv," he said easing into his seat. Wearing a miserable expression she looked up to find her partner in a crisp bright blue shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his tattoo flexing with his arm as he turned on the computer. Before she had time to respond with a deflection Craigen strolled out of his office and turned them onto a lead in a rape case.

Awkward silence filled the space between them as the elevator dinged and they got in. Liv didn't dare speak about anything other than work for fear of what she might say. "You're shutting me out," El said in an angry tone as he started the car, "and I do not appreciate it." "I'm sorry," Liv responded. "What did I do?!" he asked with fury and a tinge of hurt. "It's been like this for a week and a half, and I don't know how much more I can take."

Just as he threw the car into the gear a crackling came over the handset and they were on the move.

They apprehended the suspect and it took all of seven hours of interrogation before he cracked and admitted to the rape as well as naming his accomplice. Everyone in the office had shuffled out two hours ago. "I expect the report on my desk in the morning," Craigen said as he walked out the double doors. "Great," Elliot said throwing down a pile of files on his desk. Liv could tell that her misunderstood silent treatment had eaten away at her partner's patience and good temperament. "I'm gonna go grab something out of the vending machine," she said getting up and walking out to the hall.

Peanut M&M's why not? They have nuts in them, that's technically protein right? The quarters clinked, the machine beeped and Liv put the snack in her pocket while heading into the locker room.

The steely door creaked open to reveal her partner with his hand balled up in a fist against a locker. He looked up when the door clicked shut. She walked slowly over to her locker next to her partner's and opened it, but the bottle of water inside was the last thing on her mind. She hesitated and Elliot caught it. "Will you tell me now," he said, bridling his anger. "What I did." "You didn't do anything El, it's…it's," she sighed and hung her head. Elliot came closer, his cologne intoxicating, his shirt with the top two buttons undone. He reached out and lifted her chin with a finger. She could see his widened eyes, the legitimate concern on his face.

"It's something Babs said to me," she said at last. The concern momentarily lifted off his face. "You mean that crazy bitch? What could she have possibly said that's had you dazed for nearly two weeks?" he said with a smile. "She said….she said…that she could tell that you liked me, that you cared about me." "Well of course I do," he chuckled. "Not like that…" she hesitated, "more like love." Her cheeks flushed red as she saw his head reeling. "And I told her that would never happen," she said feigning a smile and shutting her locker and turning back to face El.

His expression was unreadable and panic suddenly coursed through Liv. "Say something," Liv said in almost a whisper. "I," Elliot started, "I…she is right," he finally admitted taking another step towards her. "El, we can't…" was all she could come up with. "We, just, can't." "It only bothers you so much because you feel the same way," his blue eyes bore into her. And something snapped inside of Olivia. _Screw it all_, she thought to herself. She hesitantly brought her hand up to his face and exhaled ten years of pent up emotion. She inhaled sharply and tears began streaming down her face. In a flash he grabbed her and with a fiery desperation brought his lips to hers. His wandering tongue found hers, his soft lips soaking in every move made by her.

It was like they were made for each other. Elliot fervently ran his hands through her hair and pushed her up against the lockers with a loud clanking protest from every lock down the line. Only a gap remained between their hips, which Olivia closed grasping him and yanking him towards her. His erection insanely hard pressed against her stomach.

Suddenly he stopped, heaving heavily he managed to say "we can never go back from this Olivia, when we do this, we can't go back. I'm so scared of losing you," he said, his voice hitching at the end. She grabbed his face and brought it towards hers, "I know, I'm scared too. But I'll be damned if I go one more day…one more day pretending that you're nothing but a partner. I need you El, I need you more than ever, don't you dare stop…" "Okay," he said breaking off her sentence and plunging back into her mouth.

"Where?" Olivia managed to get out. "The Crib," Elliot said taking her hand and racing down the hall.

The lights were off but moonlight spilled into the cold room. Liv backed Elliot onto the door and locked it. Their kisses becoming sloppier and more desperate. Elliot's hands ran down her back and into her pants, grabbing her ass. Liv unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands down his abs, getting wetter every single second. She stroked him through his pants and felt a pang of desperation and want for him so strong that she thought it might kill her.

With that driving force she quickly took off his pants and knealt down, taking him fully into her mouth. Elliot let out a hefty moan and bucked in response. He needed her so bad, one more moment and they wouldn't even make it to the bed because he was so close.

"Liv," he said in racing desperation, "I can't hold on, I need you," he said in such a pleading voice that it nearly broke her. His hands balled up fists full of her hair, now bucking uncontrollably. Instantly she rose up and began unbuttoning and unzipping her pants.

Both of their breathing stopped. "Do you hear something," he said. Just then shuffling feet and laughing could be heard. "Go," Elliot said in panic, pointing to the door at the other end of the room as he pulled up his pants. Liv ran out of the room just as the doorknob turned. "Hey Elliot," Fin said coming into the room. "Done workin that case," he said plopping down onto a squeaky bed. "You joinin me in the crib tonight?"


	2. Chapter 2

2:00 a.m.

Elliot's heart began skipping beats as he stared blankly at Fin, sure that his face was white as a sheet. Elliot cleared his throat and looked up at Fin. Should he stay in the cribs, or go after Liv, or just go home? "Elliot," Fin's voice jolted him back to the present. "You stayin or what? Man, are you okay, you look like you just got punched in the stomach?" "Yea Fin I'm fine," Elliot said buttoning up his shirt. "I just got up from a nap. How's the case going," he attempted small talk.

"Good I guess, I mean we got the sicko off the streets but we can't erase his victims memories of him. Bastard," Fin muttered fluffing the pillow of his cot. "I'd go home, but there's really no point…You sure you're okay Stabler?" "Yea, fine. I'll see you in the morning Fin," Elliot said breezing out the room. The door clicked behind him and after taking a few steps down the hall he stopped. It did feel like someone just punched him in the stomach. Knowing Liv she would surely regret this and that may lead her to act, may lead her to leave for good. Elliot brought his hand to his mouth and chocked back jagged breaths at the realization that Liv might leave now.

The wall felt cold beneath his shirt and every thought, every replay of the past fifteen minutes, of the last several years, raced through his mind. He told her that he was scared of losing her, he told her they could never go back, and she kissed him anyway. He gave her the chance to stop, and she didn't take it. But everything would change, and he knew it.

The realization that she may still be in the building calmed the buzz in his mind and drove Elliot through the squad room and towards the elevator.

"Dammit," his words echoed throughout the nearly empty parking garage. Her car wasn't there. Hesitantly he brought his phone out of his pocket and dialed Olivia Benson.

Underneath her bag, in the pocket of her jacket, Olivia's phone made unheard vibrations as the warm shower water engulfed her. Arms wrapped around herself, Liv just stood there, under the water. Every single second Olivia's thoughts would travel back to Elliot, his face engrained in her mind, the feel of his body burned into her senses. She held her eyelids tight, trying to understand everything and forget it at the same time. The thoughts of him were suffocating.

Even though the divorce had started, he still wasn't single just quite yet. He still was her partner and best friend and she risked it all. In the moment in that locker room his melting demeanor assuaged her doubts. But here in the silence of her bathroom, in the mad cacophony in her mind, the fear crept up, the doubt gained a stronghold.

Twenty minutes later, a very conflicted Liv stepped out of the warm grasp of the humid bathroom air into the stark stinging reality of her bedroom. Wrapped in a fuzzy red robe, she sat at the edge of the bed with her head in her hands.

Unsure whether to leave her alone or pursue her, Elliot had somehow managed to arrive at her apartment regardless. It called to him despite the butterflies and anxiety swelling within him.

With a click his car shut off, and Elliot stayed staring down the street through his windshield. As much as he tried to grasp the weight of the situation, the possible outcomes of all of this, the ending to the story eluded him, and it was maddening. "You have to go in," he said to himself. "You have to." If she didn't buzz him up, he would take it as a sign to 'buzz off.' But if she did…

His hands were clenched in such tight fists that his nails left imprints on his palms, Elliot thanked God that she let him in, and quickly made his way to the elevator.

Less than a minute later his ocean eyes looked at the peephole of the door expectantly. With a hard gulp and a deep breath she opened the door, and wordlessly he slipped inside.

"Hey," she said shutting the door and leaning with her back against it. "Hey," he replied. Each waited for the other to say something, but silence filled the room. "We should probably talk," Elliot said with a chuckle. "That would be productive," she said with a grin. "Want to have a seat?"

Liv flicked on a light on an end table and took a seat next to Elliot. "Neither of us are the best at speaking about personal things, this should be interesting." "Hey, speak for yourself El," Liv said, her body language relaxing.

"I just want to make sure of one thing," Elliot said, his facial features dropping into seriousness. "Promise…that you won't leave." Elliot raised his eyes to her, they screamed a silent plea. Liv slowly and slightly moved her head left and right, "I won't leave Elliot," her voice a mere whisper. "Promise."

Emotion seeped through the brick wall he had built between himself and Liv and in a swift movement swept her into a hug. They stayed like that for a long time, before Liv pulled away and rested a hand on his face. Her thumb stroked the soft skin of his cheek and her eyes bored into his.

"I know we have a lot to figure out, and I know it's complicated, but whatever happens it's worth it…because you're worth it," she said with as much resolve as she could muster. To which Elliot leaned his forehead against hers and delivered a delicate, and then passionate kiss.

When he pulled away he reclined back into the couch pulling Olivia into his embrace. His heart beat steadily and in the familiar droning she closed her eyes.

In the morning there was going to be another case, another meeting with divorce lawyers, another difficult day, but right now, tonight, Olivia was in his arms.


End file.
